Sir, – Thomas Ryan asks (December 22nd) how the announcement in Budget 2012 to cut the means-tested fuel allowance by six weeks could result in “Dickensian squalor” being visited on our older population.
His question is answered in “Fuel Poverty, Older People and Cold Weather: An all-island analysis”, (at www.publichealth.ie). It did not refer to Dickens, but instead found that the excess winter death rate in the Republic for the winter of 2006/7 was 1,281. Of these, 1,216 were aged over-65. The majority died of cardiovascular and respiratory illness – cold-related conditions. The fuel allowance at the time was €14 per week, paid over 29 weeks, compared to the current €20 a week payment which will be paid over 26 weeks.
Fuel poverty is not experienced by all older people, but is a significant challenge for those who are disadvantaged by being on a low income, those living alone, those living in poorly insulated housing stock, and those with a physical disability which restricts their movements.
A person’s income, the cost of energy and the thermal efficiency of their home, are all key factors for those struggling to afford to heat their homes to a safe level. The December Budget made life harder for those people by cutting their income (the fuel allowance reduction) and driving up the cost of home heating fuel (by increasing the carbon tax). On the plus side, the Government recently published its energy affordability strategy which aims to address the thermal efficiency issue. A significant number of older people make unacceptable sacrifices to body and soul together each winter in Ireland. As our excess winter death rate confirms, not all do so successfully. – Yours, etc,